CWA TV 1/25/1986

Written by: Bob Colling

CWA TV
Date: 1/25/1986
From: Memphis, TN

Lance Russell and Dave Brown rundown what will be seen on the program.

Opening Contest: Larry Hamilton vs. The Invader: Hamilton is making his debut and wastes no time delivering a dropkick and knee drop. Hamilton nearly wins following a leg drop. Hamilton keeps control of the left arm of Invader. Invader gets a few strikes in but is dropped to the mat quickly. Hamilton hits a belly to belly suplex for the win. (1/2*. I’m intrigued to see more from Hamilton.)

Lance Russell talked to Buddy Landell and Bill Dundee. Landell is now the Mid-American champion while Dundee isn’t excited about a barbed wire match. Dutch Mantell says he’s going to remain the International Champion and isn’t afraid about a taped fist match. The Sheepherders manager is interviewed regarding the Fantastics and says they are here to stay in the CWA.

Tony Falk is sick and tired of losing and has been training hard to beat the Fantastics tonight.

Second Contest: AWA Southern Tag Team Champions The Fantastics (Bobby Fulton & Tommy Rogers) vs. Pat Rose & Tony Falk: Yeah, the Fantastics won the tag tournament that took place on 1/13. Rose and Rogers kick off the match with both men trading some mat wrestling holds. They run the ropes for a few moments and Rose decks Rogers with a right hand. Rose heads to the top rope and decides to come down to deliver another right hand. Rose scoop slams Rogers and heads to the top rope. Rose gets stopped by Rogers and slammed to the mat. Fulton tags in and shoulder blocks Rose before avoiding an elbow drop. Rose comes off the middle rope to deliver an elbow strike. Falk gets tagged in he gets worked over by the Fantastics. Fulton dropkicks Falk and goes back to controlling his arm. Rogers monkey flips Falk out of the corner. Falk tags out and Rose scoop slams Fulton followed by an elbow drop. Rose clotheslines Fulton coming out of the corner for a near fall. Rose goes to the middle rope and hits a fist drop. Falk enters into the match and trades shots with Fulton. Falk takes Fulton down with a swinging neckbreaker and a clothesline for a near fall. Rose tags in and drives Fulton down to the mat with a vertical suplex but the referee is distracted by Rogers. Fulton and Rose trade a few strikes until Falk comes back in and is beaten on by Fulton. Fulton comes off the ropes with a knee lift and Rogers gets tagged in delivering a few dropkicks. Rogers goes to the middle rope and splashes Falk after Rose was sent to the floor. That’s good enough for the Fantastics to get the win. (**1/4. Not a bad match that went nearly eight minutes. Fantastics have been on television seemingly every week. I don’t hate that, but it would see like a bit overkill.)

The Fantastics are interviewed following their victory and they say that 400 letters have been sent in to win a date with them. Remember, only two women will win the dates. Buddy Landell comes out and says he’s tired of the Fantastics taking his TV time. Landell threatens to knock their teeth out. Lance Russell notes that Buddy has only gotten two responses. Buddy believes the competition is being rigged. The Sheepherders come out as Buddy leaves and the Fantastics are laid out with chair shots to the head. Fantastics have been busted wide open from the attack and they are left laying. Koko Ware, Rick Casey and Dirty Rhodes make the save to run them off.

Koko Ware talks about a barbed wire match he’ll be having with Bill Dundee. Dundee won’t be able to escape and his friends won’t be able to enter he ring. Koko is going to give him the beating of his life.

Third Contest: Buddy Landell & Dutch Mantell vs. Billy Travis & David Haskins: Mantell and Travis start the match with Travis taking Mantell down to the mat for a moment. Landell enters and Travis gets a head scissors on him for a moment. Travis is trapped in the corner and worked over but ducks a clothesline from Dutch and hit a crossbody for a near fall. Buddy keeps control of Haskins with a headlock on the mat before tagging in Dutch. Dutch misses a splash in the corner and Travis enters. Landell tags back in and beats on Travis with right hands. Buddy hip tosses Travis across the ring and Dutch comes in to turn Travis inside out with an elbow strike. Dutch tags back in and takes Travis down to the mat after Buddy delivered a few more right hands to Travis. Dutch drops Travis with a boot to the gut. Mantell powerslams Travis for a two count. Travis is able to tag out to Haskins who pummels Dutch with right hands. Dutch cuts off Haskins with a clothesline and Buddy tags in. Buddy delivers an elbow drop and gets the figure four on Haskins to win the match by submission. (**. I enjoyed the match for what it was. I’m certainly buying into Dutch and Buddy as a heel unit and having Dundee in there was a tough heel trio.)

Fourth Contest: Dirty Rhodes vs. Keith Eric: Rhodes works over Eric with some basic offense. Dirty wins the match following a jumping senton splash. (1/4*. I’m not sure how over Dirty Rhodes is. I think it’s hilarious they have a knockoff Dusty Rhodes and a knockoff Nature Boy.)

Lance Russell had a pre-tape promo with Rick Casey. Casey says that Dutch Mantell screwed him over for the International Championship. Now, they’ll have a rematch and their fists will be taped. The Fantastics are interviewed about their loser leaves town match with the Sheepherders. They are here to stay and not play. They declare that the Sheepherders will be history. Tommy Rogers says they have their attention now and the Sheepherders will be leaving the area.

A music video for Bill Dundee is shown as it highlights his recent matches it looks like.

Main Event: AWA Southern Heavyweight Champion Bill Dundee vs. Tracy Smothers: Smothers keeps Dundee on the mat with a hammerlock to get control early on until Dundee gets to the ropes. Dundee takes Smothers down to the mat for a near fall before switching to a leg lock for a moment. Smothers briefly had a head scissors on Dundee until the champion got up. Dundee controls Smothers on the mat with a headlock. Dundee back elbows Smothers followed by a scoop slam and a stomp to the head. Dundee dumps Smothers through the ropes to the floor. Dundee drops Smothers throat first over the top and Smothers crashes to the floor. Dundee continues to beat on Smothers with stomps. Dundee hammers away on Smothers with right hands. Smothers forearms Dundee into a corner but Dundee comes back with a headbutt and forearm strikes in the corner. Smothers sends Dundee into the corner but Dundee bails to the floor to regroup. Dundee comes back in with a headlock to control Smothers.

Dundee chops Smothers against the ropes and then bails to the floor as Smothers got fired up. Smothers backdrops Dundee and goes for a cover but only manages a one count. Smothers pummels Dundee with right hands. The referee pulls Smothers out of the corner and Dundee decks Smothers with a chain around his fist to win the match. (**. A fine match and fairly competitive. I understand the usage of the chain for the cheap heat, but Dundee could have won this fairly.)

Final Thoughts:
In terms of in-ring action this is probably the best show thus far in ’86. They are building up the major guys pretty well and I’m getting more interested in the product the more I watch.

Thanks for reading.